Nuhami Mandefro

Orchestra students Ben Petruzziello, Loui Al Ayoubi and Danny Nguyen pose with their instruments.

The orchestra department had their festival assessment on March 8 at Edison High School.

“I am ecstatic about the assessment results,” orchestra conductor Angela Ammerman said. “This is a really big deal for the Chamber Orchestra because they performed at the highest level and got straight superiors. I am also very happy for my Symphony and Artiste Orchestras. They earned awesome scores as well.”

Chamber Orchestra earned straight superiors from all judges at Level 6, the highest level possible. Artiste Orchestra earned straight superiors from all judges and Symphony Orchestra earned two superiors, two excellents, and multiple sheets with straight A’s.

“I feel the Artiste orchestra played really well,” junior Kyla Robinson said. “We played a piece called Incantations. I personally feel I could have played better, but as a whole we played awesome.”

Many of the orchestra members practiced for many hours after school just in the past two weeks in preparation for this event.

“I practiced a lot after school to prepare for assessment,” sophomore Danny Nguyen said. “Symphony Orchestra did really well. The songs we played, Baltic and Rustic Dance, weren’t tough for me but as a whole it was tough to play.”

Chamber Orchestra played Symphony Number Four for assessment. “It was hard to learn but after a while we got it,” junior Bethel Mahoney said. “I think we did really well and I am happy with the results.”

The orchestra department is currently preparing for their upcoming Solo Festival. “I think we are going to represent at Solo Festival,” Ammerman said. “I am so excited for the upcoming months of school where we can grow as an orchestra greatly.”